Controlled Room Temperature (CRT)

Controlled Room Temperature (CRT) is a temperature range of +15°C to +25°C used for storing and transporting temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products and biologicals during air cargo operations. CRT represents one of the four official IATA temperature ranges for passive healthcare shipments that require controlled environmental conditions but do not need refrigeration. IATA requires Time and Temperature Sensitive labels displaying the 15–25°C range on CRT shipments to alert all handlers to special handling requirements. Most air hubs have limited capabilities for maintaining the 15-25°C temperature bracket compared to refrigerated storage options.

A Lufthansa Cargo shipment with AWB number 020-12345678 carries temperature-sensitive vaccines requiring CRT storage at Frankfurt Airport's pharmaceutical facility, where the cargo is maintained between 15°C and 25°C during transit. An Emirates SkyCargo pharmaceutical shipment with AWB prefix 176 transits through Dubai's temperature-controlled cargo terminal, utilizing CRT storage to maintain insulin products within the required 15-25°C range before connecting to its final destination.

• CRT
• 15-25°C
• 15°C to 25°C
• ambient temperature cargo
• room temperature cargo

What is the exact temperature range for Controlled Room Temperature (CRT) in air cargo?

CRT maintains a temperature range of +15°C to +25°C (+59°F to +77°F). This is one of four official IATA temperature ranges, alongside COL (+2°C to +8°C), ERT (+2°C to +25°C), and FRO (-18°C or below).

Which airports have dedicated CRT facilities for pharmaceutical cargo?

American Airlines operates CRT facilities at Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), San Juan (SJU), and London Heathrow (LHR). The Heathrow facility opened in December 2024 as a 300 square foot dedicated CRT space. Most major pharmaceutical hubs have limited CRT capabilities compared to refrigerated storage options.